A day in the life of the Sports Editor
Being the sports editor here at The Reporter comes with many different duties. Like any other job, some aspects of the job are fun while others are more of a challenge.
Besides writing this column every week, the most enjoyable part of my job is taking pictures at local sporting events. It gets boring sitting at my desk at times, so anytime I can go out and capture moments through my camera and interact with the players and coaches presents a welcomed opportunity.
This past week offered those types of events. It felt like my true introduction to the job of sports editor. Football was played on Thursday, cross country was run on Friday and volleyball transpired on Saturday. Since COVID-19 put a damper on sports for a while, this week felt like the first time in forever that looking for something to cover in sports wouldn’t be a scavenger hunt.
After work on Thursday, I took the 45-minute drive to Franklin to get my first real dose of Rockdale football as I attended the first and only scrimmage of the season.
For some reason, once I arrived, a tad bit of anxiety came over me. My first moment of nervousness came when I couldn’t find the football field. The only thing in my view was the empty front parking lot of the school, which caused me to become confused. I drove behind the school near a bus ramp, but I couldn’t find a field anywhere. I started to panic thinking I would be late for the game.
Not thinking, I called Coach Campsey. Of course, he couldn’t answer the phone because he was preparing the team for battle. I reached for my phone to type in the address for the field, hoping I would find it. As I typed in the address, I breathed a sigh of relief as I glimpsed the field at the next right turn a few yards up the street next to the school building.
Once I arrived at the stadium, I walked and caught sight of the Rockdale fan base in full support as the guys went at it. In my past coverings of sports, I always sat in the press box and took notes, but I’d never been in the midst of everything. First, I tried my best to stay out of the way. I stood off to the side and took the best pictures I could from an angle. Later, Coach Hall stopped what he was doing to come direct me.
“What are you doing over there,” Coach Hall asked? “You got to get in the mix so you can get the good shots.”
Coach Hall spoke to the referees on my behalf to ask where I was permitted to go on the field and told me certain rules I had to abide by. After that, I felt more comfortable and did my job more effectively. We had a short conversation that expressed how he enjoyed my work while I thanked him for his support.
A hard- fought scrimmage ensued and Rockdale proved to be the more physical team. Despite the trash talk from the Franklin players, the Rockdale players demonstrated class and sportsmanship towards one anotherand the other team as they were encouraged by Coach Campsey.
Following the scrimmage, I attended my first ever cross country meet at the Rockdale Country Club the next day. Despite the scorching Texas heat, spectators from every school took the field to watch the athlete’s race.
As I watched the Rockdale boys and girls run, I was impressed with the manner in which they pushed each other. They laughed and joked with each other and it showed a genuine sense of family among the team.
As they ran along the scenic view of the country club pond and fields lined with cheering spectators, I had a flashback to my days of being on the high school track team. I thought about how I needed to be out there running with them to get some of this Dominoes and Texas Burger weight off of me. Then I realized that it might have wait until the wintertime as this Texas heat is something I cannot get used to.
The next day, I watched the girls’ varsity volleyball team face off against Granger. I loved how the volleyball team interacted with one another. The players on the court, as well as the reserves, celebrated after each score whether the team was up or down on the scoreboard. You could tell they wanted to see each other succeed and put their personal egos to the side.
During the game I learned two valuable lessons. The first lesson was to remember to remove the camera’s flash during games. In somewhat embarrassing fashion, the referee had to stop the game to remind me before I blinded a player. The second thing was to ensure my camera has enough memory before games because I had to leave after the 3rd match due to my card being full.
Although, I face the constant challenge of being on my toes, it brings me true joy to be out there amongst the students and fan base. When things get hard, I have to remind myself that this time last year I was stocking shelves in a grocery store. Therefore, every task I do is a blessing in itself. Covering these types of events are the reason I chose to become a sports editor. I wanted to feel the energy of the crowds and support the teams.
Whether it’s a football game, cross-country meet or a volleyball match, it’s an honor to be out there doing what I love to do. Yes, sometimes I make mistakes but every day I try to get better and enjoy each experience. I look forward to this season and I look to continue doing great work in this community.
I wish every team the best this season. As we still face uncertain times, I wish all the students, coaches, and fans good health and constant safety. Thank you all for your continued support. Go Tigers!